Greetings
Welcome to my Newsletter, In Balance Physiotherapy is now open and accepting new patients. To book an online appointment click here.
Please check out our new website at www.inbalancephysio.ca
Orthopedics deals with the correcting injuries or disorders impacting the skeletal system and associated joints, muscles and ligaments. Patients in need of orthopedic treatments are likely suffering from sprains and strains, sports injuries, arthritis, osteoporosis, back pain, joint replacement, repetitive strains or other related injuries.
Manual therapy is an effective treatment used by physiotherapists to treat musculoskeletal pain and disability. It includes joint mobilization and joint manipulation and muscle and soft tissue mobilization techniques.
This hands-on approach is effective in diagnosing and treating soft tissues and joint structures. It modulates pain, increases the range of motion, reduces inflammation, and assists in repairing tissue and improving function.
Specialized pelvic health physiotherapy is becoming the first line of defence in cases of pelvic pain, pelvic organ prolapse, and incontinence.
Physiotherapy should be the first avenue to consider (prior to surgery or other medical interventions) for both pelvic pain and incontinence.
The pelvic floor muscles are a group of muscles that attach to the front, back and sides of the pelvic bone and sacrum, rather like a sling supporting the bladder, uterus, prostate and rectum. They wrap around the urethra, rectum and vagina.
Patients suffering pelvic health issues often have pelvic floor muscles that are either too weak or too tight. If they are weak, the condition contributes to stress and urge incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. If there are tight pelvic floor muscles it can contribute to urinary and fecal urgency, urge incontinence, chronic pelvic pain, interstitial cystitis and chronic prostatits among other conditions. Prescribed treatment will also include a series of home exercises as well as therapy in the clinic.
The vestibular system is comprised of the parts of the inner ear and brain that process the sensory information involved with controlling balance and eye movements. When these areas are damaged by injury of disease, vestibular disorders can result. Symptoms can include intense sensations of spinning, nausea, loss of balance, “brain fog”, a general sense of not feeling well and fatigue and gait issues.
Common vestibular disorders include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis, Meniere’s disease, perilymph fistula, and secondary endolymphatic hydrops, among others.
Symptoms such as imbalance and chronic dizziness can severely impact a person’s quality of life. Vestibular disorders can affect both adults and children.
Pfilates is a program of neuromuscular conditioning created by an American urogynecologist to provide a method of pelvic floor fitness training accessible to a broad population.
Programs of pelvic floor neuromuscular rehabilitation successfully improve pelvic floor symptoms such as urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, sexual dysfunction, pelvic organ prolapsed and fecal incontinence.
Pfiliates, unlike other isometric pelvic floor muscle exercises, can be incorporated into any regular fitness routine. It is a simple program consisting of ten movements presented in the same order in three different phases, the beginning, the intermediate and the advanced.
Patients recovering from all breast surgeries, including those related to cancer and reconstruction, can benefit greatly post-surgery rehabilitation. It can be effective in speeding up the healing period, which is crucial if additional treatments such as
chemotherapy and radiation therapy are still needed. Tissues can be prepared for the next phase of treatment. Post-surgical breast rehabilitation helps reduce local inflammation and helps to heal the lymphatic system and breast tissues.
Biography
Kathleen Shortt,
PT Registered Physiotherapist, BScPT, FCAMT
Clinic owner and manager Kathleen Shortt is an experienced physiotherapist whose dedication to life-long learning sees her constantly upgrading her expertise and gaining distinctions in her field.
She graduated from McGill University in 1989 with an Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Physiotherapy, winning the Canadian Physiotherapy Association Award.
Kathleen completed her Advanced Orthopaedic Manual Therapy levels in 1996 and is a Fellow of the Academy of Manipulative Therapy. She has worked in both Quebec and Ontario, beginning her career as a staff physiotherapist at Mount Sinai Hospital where she assessed and treated orthopedic, neurological, medical and sport injury patients.
Prior to starting In Balance Physiotherapy in 2013, Kathleen worked as the Clinic Director of LifeMark Health Physiotherapy On Bay from 2003 until 2012. From 2007 until stepping out on her own to start In Balance Physiotherapy in 2013, she took on the role of Clinical Services Leader for Ontario. As part of this role Kathleen helped develop Clinical Excellence Programs for the LifeMark Ontario Region through developing a Mentorship Program for Ontario. She also ensured an active role in student education at the clinics with their university affiliates.
Kathleen has a special interest in Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation and Vestibular Rehabilitation. She has completed the competency course offered at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Kathleen often speaks at both professional and public conferences on the role of the physiotherapist in these areas.
